The semi-weekly fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1886-1887, 1887-09-09

L
grateful appreciation of your ready
and chivalrous defense of Captain
L4ndolph = bot Shotwell's memory
against the false. unworthy and cow
ardly defamation OF an anonymous
slanderer
1t is a wholly incomprehensibie
thing why any one-even the basest
and most malignant of his enemies
should have made so unwarranted an
attack upon the memory of a man
who for two long years has been
beyond the reach of praise or blame.
Nothing could be gained by such
an assault, and much was to be lost
by it if the anonymous writer held
any sort Of character among his fell
low men. For there is a certa. n
Unborn instinct of decency in most
men that forbids wanton abuse OF the
lead. An instinct as old as human
ity's self, finding utterance even in
the Pagan world in the old familiar
! Latin mixim: DE MORTUIS NIL NISCE
3ONUM.
; Happily for his friends, Captain
ShOtwell's name is above the stain of
SANDER. No injurious charge makes
The least dimness upon his fair fame.
| The whole life Of the man cOntradicts
the charges that-for political pur-
poses Only-were fabricated against
him, and challenge each one of his
accusers and judges to dare to admit
within his secret soul that he ever
believed one single charge upon which
he was tried and PREDETERMINED
SENTENCE executed against him.
One day the accused and the accusers
will meet before the bar of the Great
Judge eternal, and in that day may God
remember the mercy that they forgot.
Had Captain Shotwell been guilty be-
could easily have escaped before his trial
so called), when the opportunity was
afforded him while in Rutherford jail,
and any man, however innocent, gov
erned by less noble impulses than sway
ed the heroic soul of the knightiy gen
tleman of whom we speak, might we'll
have availed himself of those opportu
mites to escape from the horrible tor
lures inflicted upon him within those
lOathsOme prison walls. 1t is not gen
orally known. but it is none the less a
fact that after Captain ShOtwell S re-
lease from Albany penitentiary the man
Jim Justice. the OStenSible victim" of
the Rutherford raid, came to him and !
begged forgiveness for his part in the !
prosecution, and said he had done all he !
could to make amends by voluntarily |
signing the petition for his release. OF |
course Captain Shotweli forgave him, !
for such a soul never harbOred either
malice or revenge. Had Captain Shot I
well really been the author of the al
legged "Cutrages" from which Justice /
pretended to have suffered, is it likely !
that Justice would have asked his for
glveness. that he would let bygOnes be
3ygoIes!
90 not as a rule take it upon myself
to connect the viSitatiOnS of God with
the sins of men; but in the case of JUS
tice, who broke his neck falling off
piazza, and in the lingering and agoniz-
ing death from cancer Of the throat Of
the Rutherford jailOr, who
denied the helpless prisoners in his
charge water to Stake their thirst in the
burning heat of summer weather, and
Infilct voluntary fortunes upon them. In
these two cases l do think the Hand Of
God touched them thus in direct pun
shment for their sin. AS | said before,
What is to be gained by a resurrection
Of falsehoOds like those published by
the EdentOn Enquirer S correspondent [
cduuOC see captain SnOtWGlI stands III
40 man s way; he has passed out of the
arena of men:
Where beyond these voices there is
peace.
And surely it serves no purpose of jeal-
'uSy, envy, or even malice to seek to
iishonOr the memory of one who wore
70 worthily
The white flower of blameless life. =
t is IMPOSSIBLE to alter the opinion of
hose who knew him, or of the people
n the State at large. 1t would be i'm
possible, even if the charges had been
made openly, above a reputable sigma
dre. An anonymous attack serves only
o blaCken the pages on which it was
written and reflects discredit only on
he one who made it. To YOU, who
hare the knightly and gallant spirit
hat animated Captain Shotwell s whole
ublic life; who dare to speak the truth
Without fear or favor, or counting the
ossible cost. the hearty thanks of all of
;aptaln ShOtwell personal friends, of
ii who believe in honor, truth and
Ourage are due, and [ may gladly ex-
ress my admiration of your manly and
enerous defense of one who from his
eardless youth until the shadow of
cath fell across his superb manhood
yer led a fOrlOrn hope in the battle OF
nth, Justice, and the rights of men,
nd whose name IN fame will one dav
e the incentive of noble deeds of noble
len.
Very faithfully yours.